Three words: Indian Butter Chicken. And in that order. These three things may not seem like they go together, but in this recipe, you’ll see why this will become a new favorite in your home.
How to Make the Marinade
You may be surprised to know that the base of the marinade is Greek yogurt. It’s paired with other Indian-inspired spices to give the chicken a flavor you’ll remember (and crave more of). All you need are the following ingredients:
- Greek yogurt
- Vinegar (apple cider vinegar works fine)
- Garlic
- Fresh ginger (peeled and grated)
- Garam masala
- Turmeric
- Salt
- Red chili powder
- Cut the chicken (breasts, thighs or a combination) into 1 to 1 ½ inch chunks.
- Simply whisk together all of the ingredients mentioned above, add in the chicken chunks, and give it a good stir.
- Cover the bowl and allow it to marinade anywhere between 2 hours to overnight. Of course, the longer the better but you don’t want to go past the overnight watch.
How To Make Indian Butter Chicken Sauce
- This classic Indian dish uses a spice called garam masala which is readily and easily found in most supermarkets. That is combined with salt, red chili powder, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, brown sugar, and fenugreek.
- Then onion, ginger and garlic are sauteed. Once they are softened these aromatic spices are added to the pot. Sauteeing dried spices in oil for a minute or so bring out their deep rich flavors and turn what is in the pan into a little paste.
- Add the tomato sauce and bring it to a simmer, cooking for 5-10 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream and puree it using an immersion blender. You can also use a regular blender, but make sure to blend it in small batches if you go this route.
Bring Everything Together
- After you’ve made the marinade for the chicken and the Indian butter sauce, all there’s left to do is cook and combine!
- The chicken for this dish gets baked until completely cooked through, so the sauce we just mentioned usually gets made as the chicken is cooking to save time.
- Now your chicken is ready to be added to your butter sauce!
Pro tip! To get those charred edges on the chicken pieces, place the baking sheet under the broiler for thedesired amount of time.
Indian Butter chicken traditionally is served alongside a big bowl of rice and homemade Naan bread to share.
Did you make this dish? Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
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Indian Butter Chicken
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
Indian Butter chicken is a staple in New Delhi. It’s mildly spicy, creamy and savory flavor makes it a perfect starting dish for Indian cuisine as it appeals to almost every palate.
Ingredients
Chicken:
4 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 Tablespoon White vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
3 Cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 ½ teaspoons Garam masala
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Turmeric
½ teaspoon Red chili powder
1 ½ pounds Boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 to 1 ½-inch chunks
Olive oil cooking spray
Butter Sauce:
4 Tablespoons Unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
1 Onion, diced
4 Cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 ½ teaspoons Garam masala
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Red chili powder
1 teaspoon Coriander
1 teaspoon Cumin
½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon Black pepper
¼ teaspoon Fenugreek
1 tablespoon Light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 (15 ounce) Can plain tomato sauce
1 Cup Heavy whipping cream
Other:
- Prepared rice, for serving
- Naan bread, for serving
Instructions
For the Chicken:
- Whisk together the yogurt, vinegar, garlic, ginger, garam masala, salt, turmeric, and red chili powder in a large bowl. Stir in the cubed chicken.
- Cover the bowl and marinade for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- When you’re ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 400° F. Allow the oven to stay at 400°F for at least 15 minutes. Line a large baking tray with foil or a silpat and lightly spray it with olive oil cooking spray.
- Arrange the chicken on the prepared tray. Bake until the chicken is fully cooked, about 10 to 12 minutes. To ‘char’ or ‘crisp’ the chicken, place it under the broiler for the desired amount of time.
For the Butter Sauce:
- Combine the garam masala, salt, red chili powder, coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, brown sugar and fenugreek in a small dish.
- Add the butter and oil to a 5-quart pot over medium heat. Once melted, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing it to become translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.
- Add the spices. Stir until combined and fragrant. Add the tomato sauce. Bring it to a simmer, and cook for 5-10 minutes.
- Take the pot off the heat and add the heavy cream. Place it back on the heat and until it comes to a very very gentle simmer..
- Carefully puree the sauce using an immersion blender or in batches using a regular blender.
- Add the cooked chicken to the sauce and gently stir to combine.
- Prep Time: 30 min – 24 hrs
- Cook Time: 30 min
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